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The Shema has been described as the "central watchword" of Jewish faith. For centuries, Jews have pronounced this single sentence affirming God's unity as their final words before dying, as well as beginning and ending each day with this prayer on their lips. Using the Shema as his focus, Norman Lamm, prominent Orthodox scholar and long-time president of Yeshiva University, explores the relationship between spirituality and law in Judaism.
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The Shema Spirituality and Law in Judaism
Books by Norman Lamm A Hedge of Roses: Jewish Insights into Marriage and Married Life The Royal Reach: Discourses on the Jewish Tradition and the World Today The Good Society: Jewish Ethics in Action Faith and Doubt: Studies in Traditional Jewish Thought “Torah Lishmah”: Torah for Torah’s Sake, in the Works of Rabbi Hayyim of Volozhin and his Contemporaries Torah Umadda: The Encounter of Religious Learning and Worldly Knowledge in the Jewish Tradition Halakhot ve’Halikhot (Hebrew): Jewish Law and the Legacy of Judaism: Essays and Inquiries in Jewish Law The Religious Thought of Hasidism: Text and Commentary
Copyright © 2002 by Varda Books Copyright © 1998 by Norman Lamm First Edition. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system, except for brief passages in connection with a critical review, without permission in writing from the publisher: The Jewish Publication Society, 1930 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103-4599. Composition by VARDA Graphics, Inc. Design by Serge Lyubomudrov Manufactured in the United States of America 02
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Lamm, Norman. The Shema: spirituality and law in Judaism as exemplified in the Shema, the most important passage in the Torah / Norman Lamm. p. cm. Includes index. ISBN 0-8276-0655-9 1. Shema. 2. Judaism—Liturgy. I. Title. BB670.S45L36 1998 296.4'5—dc21 98-40891 CIP
1-59045-499-5 Library PDF edition
To the memory of my beloved mother-in-law Tillie H. Mehler (1896–1979), a person of the highest moral standards, unusual personal charity, and genuine “fear of Heaven.” When a stroke robbed her of the ability to speak, she still would recite the Hebrew blessings, and especially the passage of Shema Yisrael.
Publication of this book was made possible by a generous gift from the Isaac, Doris, and Nina Noinester Foundation In memory of Harav Yaakov Leib and Shashka Moinester Mr. and Mrs. David and Ida Sidewitz Mrs. Anna Bazer And in honor of Rabbi Irwin Albert, Graduate of Yeshiva University, Schoolmate and Friend of Dr. Norman Lamm
Guardian of Israel, Guard the remnant of Israel, And let not Israel perish, Who proclaim, “Hear O Israel.” —The Daily Prayer Book
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Contents
Preface Aknowledgments A Note on Translations and Transliterations The Shema
xi xiii xiv xv
Part I: The First Verse 1. Spirituality, Law, and the Shema 3 2. “Hear”: To Listen, To Listen To 13 3. “Israel”: The People or the Person? 19 4. “The Lord Is Our God”: Names Make a Difference 23 5. “The Lord Is One”: The Eschatological Interpretation 31 6. “The Lord Is One”: All and Only 39 7. “The Lord Is One”: The Kabbalistic Interpretations 47 8. “One” and Contemporary Science 59 9. “Blessed Be the Name of His Glorious Kingdom Forever and Ever”: The Interloping Verse 69 Part II: The Second Verse 10. Maimonides on “You Shall Love” 11. Maharal on “You Shall Love” 12. R. Shneur Zalman on “You Shall Love” 13. R. Zadok Hakohen of Lublin on “You Shall